by F. Carthew,
7-mar-06
Felicity
"And make sure that General Martok gets our latest intelligence reports as soon as Odo has finished compiling them." Sisko knew he was going over old ground, but sometimes he had to make the point before Worf agreed. "Last week he didn't see them until I asked him about troop movements."
"That was not my fault." Worf glared at his commander, bristling a little at the apparent blame. "I had only just received them from Odo myself." He glanced away akwardly"The Constable seems to have trouble finding the time to keep up with his workload these days."
Dax raised an eyebrow and smothered a smile at Worf's obvious discomfort. "You mean he isn't doing everything immediately these days." She grinned impishly. "He does have a private life now."
"Nevertheless, he should not allow his relationship with the Colonel interfere with his work." Ben and Ezri could barely contain their smiles at Worf's apparent primness. "The Colonel has not allowed their personal life to intrude on her work, I do not see that he should."
"Odo has been the model of efficiency on this station for over ten years now." Sisko spoke mildly, more amused than anything else. "I'm not about to complain because he's taking a slightly more relaxed attitude to life." Two forms appeared at the end of the corridor, holding hands as they strolled towards the group at the airlock, and Sisko raised his voice slightly. "Although I wouldn't complain if they could make it to meetings on time more often."
"Sorry sir." Kira grinned as she and Odo arrived at the group, but offered no explanation as to why they were late, and no-one seemed inclined to ask.
"Well, now you are here, let's get going." Cassidy motioned towards her freighter waiting on the other side of the open door. "This cargo has to be on Bajor before tonight."
"See you in three days." Odo lifted Nerys' hand to his lips and gave it a fleeting kiss, before stepping back and assuming his usual gruff, no nonsense, law and order pose. "Try not to get into trouble with Kai Winn."
Kira rolled her eyes good-naturedly and hurried into the freighter after Sisko and Cassidy.
"Do you think Shakaar will agree though?" Sisko watched as Kira re-read the report he had written about Bajor's Federation upcoming acceptance into the Federation and about the future of the Militia after then. "It will mean that most of your military will have to attend the Academy for some length of time, regardless of their rank and experience."
"I know, and that's what worries me about it." She tapped a particular paragraph. "According to Starfleet, I'll have to spend up to a year at the Academy, mostly doing exams on what I've already done on the station." She glanced up, her brow furrowed. "Doesn't experience count for anything? This seems a complete waste of time."
Sisko nodded. "I know, but I don't make the rules. The one thing in Bajor's favour is that most of this might be waived due to the war. When that's over, Starfleet will want to rebuild its forces as fast as possible. And with Bajor able to turn over experienced soldiers like you, that means you'll probably be posted immediately and these courses deferred until a later date. Officers like yourself and Odo might never even see the inside of an Academy classroom. And if they do insist, you could always take most of the exams under supervision at starbases or on your ship."
Kira scrolled down to another paragraph. "And that's another thing that's bothering me. Why do I have to be posted away from the station?" She grinned suddenly. "To be honest, I liked it when I was in command when you were away."
Sisko's face went carefully blank. "Again, that's for Starfleet command to decide. Of course, I've put your name forward, but-"
Kira, no fool when it came to dealing with Sisko and Starfleet officers, glared at him suspiciously. "But they've already chosen someone else, haven't they?" Her glare became anger when Sisko nodded slowly. "Who? Worf?"
Ben sighed and glanced at the table, wishing he were anywhere but here. "Apparently." He glanced up quickly and watched Kira warily as she shot to her feet and began pacing the small room, a living embodiment of anger and disappointment."I did argue that it should be you, that you deserved the posting far more than Worf does. But Admiral Ross overruled me. He says that Worf's experience, and the fact that he's Starfleet and knows all Starfleet protocols makes him a better choice."
"So what am I supposed to do?" Kira's voice was filled with bitterness and she paused for a moment to glare out the window. "What posting to I deserve? Some office somewhere, administrating, making pointless decisions and deciding unimportant policy?"
"Not quite." Sisko took a deep breath; he was on treacherous ground. "Admiral Ross told me that he feels you would benefit from being posted to a ship, so you can gain shipboard experience."
"A ship?" The glance she shot at Sisko could have disintegrated duridium. "What sort of ship? Transport? Supply?" Her tone became derisive. "Maybe a small freighter all of my very own?"
Sisko shot to his feet and slammed his hands onto the table, facing his officer. "I don't deserve this Nerys! I'm fighting as best I can for your future, but I can only do so much."
"I know you are." Kira put her own hands on the table and leaned towards Sisko. "But I don't want to be fobbed off by Starfleet, I want the posting that I deserve after all these years." Pulling back, she seemed to lose all energy and slumped into her seat again. "I'm a soldier, Ben. I've been fighting all my life, I've killed more people than I can count, been injured so many time even Bashir has stopped counting the scars." Sisko sat quietly, sensing this was more than just annoyance at being passed over for station commander.
Kira stared out the window, her voice soft. "I've risen to my rank the hard way. I didn't get here just by sitting behind a desk and getting the promotions every few years. I got here by surviving the occupation when everyone around me was dying. I got my rank by becoming the best fighter I could."
"I know." Ben spoke gently, his voice kind and soft. "And I'm the first to know that you should get a better deal than this. But I'm not the one who decides where you'll be posted. I can only recommend to Starfleet that you be given a responsible position aboard a frontier based ship."
"So where have they decided to send me?"
He cleared his throat. "They haven't, yet. Your . . . relationship with Odo is causing problems at Starfleet Command."
Her eyes narrowed. "What kind of problems?"
"They're still reluctant to allow him off the station." Sisko shook his head slightly. "They don't completely trust him, and they'd rather he stayed somewhere where he can be monitored."
"You mean where people can spy on him." Kira had an ugly snarl on her face. "I see Section 31 is alive and well then - and still pulling the strings in Starfleet."
Ben sighed and nodded. "You may be right there. There is a certain reluctance within Starfleet to let Odo out of their sight and off the station. And they are most emphatic about not allowing him to be placed in a position of power over Starfleet personnel and Federation civilians." He sighed again. "In short, they would rather he remained in a controlled environment." He glanced at the woman he'd come to know as a friend. "And they would like it even more if you were out of the picture as well."
Cassidy didn't quite understand why both Ben and Nerys were so quiet as they landed planetside on Bajor. Normally, the two officers were fairly talkative, about the war or the station, or just life in general. This time, whatever they had been discussing, had caused a falling out of warp proportions between them.
"So, we'll see you for dinner tomorrow night then?" The smile was false, and Cassidy knew it.
"I'll see." Kira didn't meet the woman's gaze. "It depends how busy I am down here." She looked like she was about to speak again, but turned on her heel and left abruptly, leaving Cassidy and Ben to head to the Capitol alone.
"And what was all that about?" Cassidy watched Sisko carefully, and forestalled his claims of ignorance. "And before you tell me that 'you don't know either', I'd better warn you that you both look like you had a major fight. And you two haven't fought for ages. At least, not about anything important." He nodded a little sheepishly, and she continued. "So, as I said, what's going on?"
Ben steered them both to a nearby café and ordered two coffees. "We were talking about what might happen after Bajor is accepted into the Federation. Specifically about what might happen to the Bajoran officers on the station."
"The news wasn't good I take it." Yates sipped her drink. "Don't tell me they'll retire Kira." She straightened suddenly and her voice hushed. "They haven't said that because she's with Odo, she . . . ." She trailed off as Ben nodded slightly.
"Because of their relationship, they won't give her command of the station, yes." Shame crossed his face. "I spent hours arguing with everyone I could think of to change their mind. It didn't make any difference; Starfleet doesn't want them together, and to hell with how Kira and Odo feel about it. Starfleet all but ordered be to break them up; I was told to 'encourage the Colonel to consider the disadvantages that ill-advised personal relationships could have on promising careers'."
"That's Starfleets idea of subtlety, is it?" If it wasn't for the consequences, the phrasing would have been amusing. "Did you ask them how they felt about your godhood? Or about your relationship with a convicted Marquis sympathiser?"
"I did," Sisko played with the coasters on the table uneasily. "They said that as the Marquis don't exist anymore, it wasn't an issue. And that as long as I didn't try to take over and run Bajor, they could live with my 'deification'." He glanced at his companion. "I ran out of arguments and patience about then."
"So, what did you say to them? About what you would tell Kira and Odo." The coffees had gone cold while they were talking, and were so intent on the conversation that neither had noticed the waitress hovering within earshot for the last few minutes.
Sisko shrugged. "What could I say? I said I would pass on the suggestion, but it was up to them to decide what relationship they would have. That was when they told me what would happen to Nerys if she didn't part from Odo."
"What?"
For the only the second time in his life, was Sisko ashamed of his Uniform. "They said that Kira would be discharged from service and exiled to Bajor, along with Odo. That they couldn't risk such a couple having intimate relations and being in such high command at the same time on the station. That it endangered the stability of the station."
Cassidy frowned slightly as she thought for a few moments. "Did you tell them that Bajor would hardly be exile for either of them?"
Sisko grinned suddenly. After the previously dark and somber mood, it was like the light coming through. "I did. And I pointed out that, if I know Kira, she'd cause more trouble down here than they could possibly imagine was possible. They didn't believe me."
Cassidy stood and smiled impishly. "Then more fool Starfleet. After all, they have been warned. If they decide against your advice, it's their funeral."
Sisko wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they headed to the transit exit. "I couldn't agree more."
Shakaar glared at Kira and bit back a sharp retort to her last snappish comment. Normally her monthly reports to him were delivered with calm deliberation and a touch of gossip, but this time she'd been all but outright rude to him and his advisors. She'd answered questions brusquely, with none of her usual charm, and had snapped at one official who'd asked her to clarify an answer to their question.
In short, she was being a complete bitch, something he hadn't seen her do in some years. Intervention was called for.
"Colonel, perhaps we should pause here until tomorrow morning?" Edon smiled and ushered his browbeaten advisors out, while Nerys glowered at him. Turning back to her, his face darkened. "And that will give you about twelve hours to explain to me why I shouldn't court-martial you for insubordination!"
Kira shrugged. "Go ahead; Starfleet will be thrilled, I'm sure." She slumped down even further in her seat, looking very much like a child with a fit of the sulks. "It'll give them the excuse they're asking for anyway."
"Excuse?" He frowned and sat back down. "What excuse are they after now? Have you done something to annoy them again?"
"I suppose it depends on how you define 'annoy' really." She made a pretence of examining her nails, and Shakaar settled in for an explanation. "Sisko and I were talking about future . . . 'possibilities' on the trip here, and he told me that Starfleet has decided that I'm unfit to command the station when he leaves."
"This is about Odo, isn't it?" Edon knew he'd guessed right when Kira bridled at him.
"It's not fair!" She stood and began pacing the office. "How can they sit there and judge him like that? How can they say that he's a 'threat to station security' if I'm in charge? What's so different about that from now that makes him such a threat?"
"Bureaucrats never like that which they can't control." Edon shrugged, knowing he placed himself in that class. "And you and Odo at the moment are theoretically controlled by Sisko. Yes, I know," he held up a hand to forestall her indignant comment, "Sisko is your commanding officer and you obey him. But let's face it, you and Odo almost run the station now. You make command decisions, deal with all aspects of the management and security of the station, and interact with Starfleet, ships, and traders. In some respects, Sisko is a figurehead in station management."
Kira smiled faintly. "Don't let him hear you say that. We've got him convinced he still runs the show."
Shakaar grinned. "I promise not to mention it." He sobered and got to the point. "And that's the problem; you and Odo run the station for all intents and purposes, but Starfleet feels they have a measure of control over your actions with Sisko as Captain. They don't want to lose that control to two people they haven't trained, and who are having an intimate relationship." He shook his head. "I have to admit, I can see their point of view."
"The question I have to ask is: Do you agree with it?" Nerys sat back, relaxed but alert.
Edon shrugged slightly. "In some ways, yes. In others, no." He waved towards the window overlooking the Capitol. "All bureaucrats like control, it makes them feel safe. I like to know that whatever I order the Militia to do, they'll do it. I like having the final say in administration appointments, and I especially like knowing that whatever I decide is to be policy on DS9 will be implemented. But, if that were threatened by you and Odo deciding that you would have final say, then yes I wouldn't like it." He smiled ruefully. "I'm probably not that different from Federation politicians you know, and they will certainly feel threatened by the idea that you and Odo control a base like the station and are, for all intents and purposes, antonymous."
Kira shrugged. "However they feel, it's still short-sighted of them. Odo and I have worked for this for seven years, and if we haven't proven ourselves by now, then we never will."
"Nerys, sometimes you just have to accept the decisions you're handed." Shakaar came over and placed a hand gently on his friends shoulder as she stared out the window at the view. "Remember when you first joined the resistance? You didn't have any say in the missions I sent you on, you just had to do your job." He led her back to her chair and sat on the edge of the desk, his hand still resting on her shoulder. Nerys watched him silently, her dark eyes as worried as he had seen them in some time. "But, over time, you earned your stripes and I gave you more and more say in what we did, until you ran your own operations." He smiled faintly. "If you remember, I even gave you standing over older, more experienced team members, like Lupaza and Furel, because you had a better grasp of the whole picture than they did."
"So what has that got to do with this?"
"Exactly what I said; sometimes, you just have to take the hand you're dealt." His face furrowed a little. "What will they do to you after Sisko leaves?"
She stared at her hands then picked up a PADD, toying with it nervously. "Apparently, they gave Ben an ultimatum. Either Odo and I separate, or we'll be discharged from the military and exiled to Bajor."
"Yes, I can see how being exiled to your home planet would be a terrible punishment for two Bajorans." Shakaar spoke drily, his eyes twinkling slightly. Nerys glanced at him and grinned shyly.
"You know, I think that's the first time I've ever heard you refer to Odo as Bajoran."
Shakaar shrugged and returned to his seat. "He is Bajoran in all but body. He has defended Bajor and protected Bajoran lives. He was raised here, he works for us . . . ." his smile broadened."He loves one of us." Kira's blush deepened. "How much more Bajoran could he get?"
"I'm glad you feel that way, Edon." She stood and placed the PADD gently on his desk. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go and visit a few friends tonight. I'll have those other reports ready for you and the council tomorrow morning." She gave another fleeting smile. "And I'm sorry about how I acted earlier. It was wrong, and I apologise."
"Apology accepted." He waved vaguely towards the outer office. "Go and have some fun, Nerys. Put the future out of your mind for a few days, go and catch up with old friends."
Kira nodded and left, while Shakaar sighed heavily and then got back to reading yet another boring mining estimate.
"Okay, so it's not Bajoran." Kira slouched into her seat and grinned at her friends, who were laughing at her description of the past baseball game between the 'Niners' and an all-Vulcan crew. "At least I got to take one of them out sliding into base." Her nose wrinkled even more as she thought"Or something like that."
Her friends laughed again and Nerys chuckled along with them. Shakaar had been right; she'd needed a night out with their old comrades in arms to get perspective, both on the past and the possible future. After some more small talk, Polaris Kendo tapped Nerys on the arm and gave her a charming smile. "So, what's this I hear about you and the station security chief?" He winked knowingly at her. "Word is that you and he have become 'very' good friends."
Kira blushed and raised her voice over the hoots from her friends. "Odo and I are . . . 'involved', yes." She gave Polaris a grin. "He's a good man, Kendo."
"Vedeks, politicians," Kendo mused out loud and twinkled a smile at her over his drink. "All powerful men, Nerys. I think I see a pattern."
"Yeah, and look what happened with Edon and I." Nerys hunched forward, grinning. "Odo has loved me for years, I was just too blind too see it." She gazed at her drink morosely. "Edon and I were a mistake, and Bareil . . . . " Gathering herself, she looked back up at her friend and smiled. "Since when have you been so interested in my love life?"
"It was just a rumour I heard." Kendo leaned back and smiled.
"Well, don't believe everything you hear." Kira relaxed into her chair, the smile becoming a grin. "Now, who's got the drinks?"
Nerys entered her house and stopped immediately inside the door. Her eyes roved over the furniture and fixtures looking for details, while the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and screamed at her. Something, somewhere, was wrong, different somehow, from how she'd left it when she walked out the door that morning. She felt for the phaser that had become as familiar to her as the uniform she put on every morning, and the dagger she habitually wore inside her boot and had worn every day for the last seven years, and silently cursed the fact that she'd felt secure and safe enough to leave it off for the last two days. She knew exactly where it was; at the back of the house in the main bedroom, but it might as well have been on Earth for all the good it would do her now.
Examining the room as she stood inside the door, she looked closely at every statue, every painting, every stick of furniture, looking for whatever had changed. Moving stealthily around the room, hugging the walls as best she could, she watched for any movement that might give away what was going on. It wasn't until she'd almost made it to the kitchen door that she saw a small quiver in a flower arrangement on the opposite wall. Suddenly all the stress and tension drained out of the room as she sashayed over to the vase and caressed the Bajoran Lilacs, enjoying the heady scent they left in the air. "When you've had enough of being a flower vase, I'll be in the kitchen."
A few moments later as the kettle boiled, Odo's arms snaked around her waist and hugged her back to his chest and nuzzled her hair as Kira chuckled. "So, what gave me away."
Turning in his arms, she placed butterfly kisses along his collarbone. "I only ever get flowers one day a year. You're a day early."
"Blast." Odo had already removed her belt and was drawing off her jacket. "And I thought I was being clever." Untucking her shirt, he began to undo her pants as her hands trailed over his skin. Since Odo didn't wear clothes, he had undertaken a new method of 'undressing' some months before. Now, as he removed Kira's clothes, she would run her hands over his simulated uniform and he would smooth it out to approximate his naked Human form wherever her hands had run. Within minutes, they were both naked and their kisses had become long and languid.
"Ben and Cassidy are coming for dinner in two hours."
Picking her up, Odo headed determinedly towards the bedroom. "No time to waste then."
Nerys was setting out the bread rolls when the doorchime rang, indicating Ben and Cassidy had arrived. Odo smiled slightly as Kira hurried back into the kitchen, muttering deprecations down on Humans who arrived early for dinner. "I'll get the door then, shall I?" A muffled sound of agreement was the only answer he got as he opened the door.
Ben looked at Odo in surprise. "Odo! I didn't know you were coming to Bajor."
"I decided to surprise Nerys." He stepped aside and motioned for the couple to enter the house. "This is an important week for her, and I . . . . " He trailed off and busied himself fixing the Humans favourite drinks.
"What he's not telling you," Nerys placed a large bowl of something on the table and turned to them with a grin on her face, wiping her hands on a towel. "Is that tomorrow is my mothers birthday, and in two days, it's Remembrance Day, and I would want to be on Bajor anyway."
"Ah." Sisko smiled and accepted the drink from Odo, then seated himself tidily on the lounge, Cassidy following suit. "So where will you be marching Odo, Rakantha or Dakhur?"
Odo hurumphed as he sat primly in a chair opposite, while a still smiling Kira trailed in and out of the kitchen with plates and bowls, all holding different Bajoran foods. "Technically, I'm not invited to march anywhere, Captain. I was never in the resistance." There was a distant 'ha!' from Nerys in the kitchen as Odo continued. "However, I have been invited to join the Dakhurian contingent this year."
Nerys came in and placed three bowls on the short table between the group and finally relaxed into a lounge chair with her own drink, a merry gleam in her eyes. "It took me five seconds to get Shakaar to give him permission to march with us. But it took me five minutes to convince Odo he really was welcome to be with us."
Odo hurrumphed again, but it was obvious his heart wasn't in it.
Cassidy smiled and glanced around the room. "So how old is this house, Nerys?"
"Not as old as it looks." Kira slouched back into her chair and sipped her drink moodily. "The grounds belonged to my family for centuries, but the original house was burnt down by the Cardassians when they attacked the village as they withdrew." She stared at the carpet, memories flooding back. "It was the same attack where my father was killed defending his garden." Silence stretched out for a long moment, and Sisko was about to speak, when Kira suddenly glanced back up and gave a bitter smile. "Last year I arranged to have the house rebuilt. I decided it was time I had something of mine on Bajor."
"And it's so hard to for a Colonel to entertain properly at the barracks." Odo's gentle sarcasm broke the tension as everyone else, including Kira, laughed. Odo saw Sisko's curious glance and elaborated. "Since her promotion, Nerys has often had to entertain when she's on Bajor. Until now however, this has meant she's had arrange the dinner parties at the barracks. The house allows for a more relaxed atmosphere than was possible before."
"Well, it's certainly better than the barracks." Ben stood and wandered around the room, taking in the workmanship. "Nerys, you'll have to give me the name of the builder."
"Vorran Pol, and he'll be delighted to be involved in any building project the Emissary might have for him." She smiled and came to stand beside Sisko and drew his attentions to a decorative leaf pattern down a doorframe. "This is his signature carving, he incorporates it into all the building he does" She traced the simple leaf design on the frame. "The leaf is of an 'Ord' tree, which in Bajoran mythology was the tree of love and peace and family. Every home would have an Ord tree planted in the garden, and should the family fail, the tree would be burned to the ground."
"So what happened to the tree here?"
Nerys sighed and returned to her chair after refilling her glass. "They destroyed it along with the house."
"I'm sorry." Ben smiled sympathetically. "Are you going to plant a new one?"
Kira's sudden smile was one of quiet joy. "I didn't need to. Last year as the house was being rebuilt, a sapling sprouted from the same spot as the old tree. It must have come from the root system or an old seed pod that had been dropped and was waiting for the right time to germinate."
"I'll have to get a seed from you then, to plant in my own garden on Bajor." Sisko grinned happily. "After all, it would never do to have the Emissary to not have one, would it?"
"It would probably be better for you to take a cutting." Odo spoke up as he gently reached over and took Nerys' hand in his. "Ord trees rarely drop seeds, but if you take a young branch and bury it in good soil, it will grow its own root system and become a tree in its own right."
"Sounds good Odo." Sisko nodded gently and decided to turn the conversation to more mundane matters. "So, Nerys, what are we having for dinner?"
Sisko downed his second cup of coffee in fifteen minutes and winced slightly. The dinner had lasted long into the night and into the small hours of the morning, to the extent that Ben and Cassidy hadn't bothered to transport back to the Capitol but had simply crashed in Kira's spare bedroom. Glaring at the cup, he thought that it was all very well and good for the others - they had still been asleep when he'd left for his meeting with the First Minister, but he needed to be at his best.
A few minutes later, he was still waiting, and it was becoming obvious that the ministers secretary was becoming worried about it. Shakaar normally was punctual and charming, it was very unlike him to be late for a meeting. Sisko watched with interest as the secretary initiated a call to someone and began agitatedly talking with them in Bajoran, obviously not expecting Sisko to understand them. Unfortunately for them, Sisko had worked with Bajorans for many years now, and had made a point of learning the main language. Carefully keeping a blank face, he listened in and found out the reason for Shakaars unusual lateness -- her eminence, Kai Winn Adami, who had apparently turned up and demanded a meeting.
Sisko gave a small sigh of annoyance at the Kais' actions, but also mixed with relief that he hadn't brought Kira with him to the meeting. Had she known it was the Kai delaying the meeting, there was a good chance she would have marched in and helped Shakaar throw the Kai out. 'On second thoughts . . . . .' Captain Sisko decided to take a leaf off Kira's tree and stood. Giving a friendly nod and smile to the secretary, he turned and headed into Shakaars' office, to find the minister looking very harassed and the Kai looking very smug. Plastering an innocent smile on his face, Sisko pretended delight. "Kai, what a delight to see you."
"Emissary." Winn looked slightly annoyed. "I was in an important meeting with Minister Shakaar."
"And I hate to interrupt, but the minister and I have an appointment for today, and it's very important I bring him up to date with certain classified details of the Dominion war." Sisko sat down and stared pointedly at the Kai, who stood and gathered her robes around her imperiously.
"Well then," her tone was dangerously angry, "as I obviously am not invited to this briefing, I shall return to the Assembly. Good day minister. Captain." She swept out of the room and as the door closed behind her, Shakaar let out a sigh and slumped back into his chair.
Turning to Sisko, the Bajoran smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Captain. I owe you."
Sisko smiled and returned the nod. "No problem." He handed the man a PADD. "Now, shall we start?"
Shakaar placed the PADD on the desk and leaned back. "I want to talk about something first. I understand that the Federation has denied Nerys the right to become station commander once Bajor joins the Federation. That is, assuming you are posted somewhere else."
"Which is very likely." Sisko relaxed into his chair and smiled. "When we defeat the Dominion, I'll probably be posted to the Cardassian frontier, if not sent to rebuild Cardassia. The station will need another Commander." He turned his look away uncomfortably. "But I'm afraid it won't be Nerys."
"I see." He said the words but the way he said them, they seemed to mean 'you idiot'. "Well then, Bajor would like to protest this decision in the strongest manner. As the station is Bajoran property, we must insist that it have a Bajoran commander."
"I shall pass your message on to Starfleet, but I cannot ensure that they will agree." A smile played around Siskos' lips, and he picked up his own PADD. "Now, about the war . . . "
Cassidy Yates followed a faint humming though the house to find Odo on the back verandah, sprawled in a deckchair, and apparently reading. The man looked up in surprise as she came out the back door and smiled. "Did you have a good sleep?"
"Wonderful. I'll have to thank Nerys when I see her again." She glanced around surreptitiously and Odo chuckled.
"Like the Captain, she's in the Capitol. The Kai called this morning just after we woke up and instructed that 'the Colonel is to come immediately to the Assembly and inform us of all relevant information about the current war with the Dominion.'" He chuckled again. "She tried to come up with a reason not to, but ended up going as ordered."
"She might bump into Ben then, he's gone to a meeting with the First Minister." Cassidy relaxed into a deckchair beside Odo. "This really is a wonderful house, Odo. Nerys has gone to a great deal of trouble with it, I'm very impressed."
Odo waved a hand towards the colourful gardens and luxurious lawn and hedge "Don't believe any of this was easy or cheap. But Nerys hasn't spent much of her wages on herself over the years, and when she decided to rebuild the house and gardens, we decided that it should be as good as we could possibly make it."
"Well, I think it looks beautiful." Cassidy turned her attention to Odo himself. "What about you and Nerys, Odo? When are you two going to make it official?"
Odo looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. "Official?" He turned his gaze back to the garden, his hands toying with the book he'd been reading. "Nerys and I have discussed it, but we feel it's better to wait until after the war is over."
Cassidy nodded understandingly. "That sounds like Kira." Silence fell for a few moments, then she continued gently. "But what happens if you don't get that chance?"
Odo couldn't bring himself to face her, just kept staring at the garden. "We've talked about that too." He shrugged slightly. "Nerys has faith that we'll all be here in the end. That the Prophets will keep us all safe and see us through."
"And what do you have faith in, Odo?" Cassidy was teasing him gently, so didn't expect the answer she got.
"I have faith in Nerys."
Kira didn't really mean to listen in on Sisko's conversation with Admiral Ross. But Ben had left the door slightly ajar when he went into her study, and he'd seen her sitting in a chair nearby, quietly reading the latest Bajoran intelligence report. So, she reasoned as she tuned in to the faint words while still pretending to read, he obviously wanted her to know what was happening.
It was this kind of Bajoran logic that had gotten her into trouble all her life. Of course, it was also the same logic that had somehow managed to get her out of trouble - most of the time.
He seemed to be talking to Admiral Ross, so she settled herself deeper into the chair and listened as hard as she could . . .
"Admiral, First Minister Shakaar is extremely displeased at this decision." Sisko was once again getting hot under the collar at Starfleets stubbornness regarding Kiras' future. "And frankly, I can see his point of view. Kira has worked tirelessly with us for the last seven years, she has proven herself a hundred times over! And instead of rewarding her as she deserves, Starfleet is going to strip her of everything she has."
"Calm down Ben." Ross was getting alarmed; Starfleet officers weren't supposed to get this worked up on a non-Starfleet officers behalf. "She will be rewarded, just not with the station. We can't risk having someone in command who isn't fully committed to our ethos and goals. I'm sure that the Bajoran government can find a suitable post for her on Bajor. Perhaps she could be given a responsible position at the Bajoran Foreign Affairs Department . . . " His voice trailed off at Siskos' obvious glare of derision. Silence reigned for a few moments before he cleared his throat and lamely tried again. "Anyway, I'm sure she and Odo can easily find work on Bajor."
"But Nerys deserves the station." Ben's voice was quiet and steady, a tone that Kira knew well enough to make her uneasy. It usually meant that someone was about to be handed their head. "She has worked harder and sacrificed more than any other Bajoran. She has lost friends, a lover, and almost her own life, to help bring Bajor into the Federation. And now the Federation is telling her and Odo that none of it matters."
Ross squirmed uncomfortably at the mention of Odo. "It's not that the Federation council doesn't think she can't run the station; they just don't trust them to do it unsupervised."
Siskos' voice became ever more dangerous. "In other words, it's not Kira you don't trust - it's Odo." He leaned back and steepled his fingers. "Well, as I'm not about to order them to cease their relationship, I'll have to advise the Colonel that she needs to begin to consider alternative career options." A faint but evil grin crossed his face. "Perhaps the foreign affairs department isn't such a bad idea. Her experience would make her ideal for the Bajoran ambassador to the Federation, and I'm sure Odo would be a great support to her in such a position." He waited until the blood drained from Ross' face before ending the commlink.
Kira was just getting up to leave the lounge-room when Sisko appeared in the study doorway, a grin on his face as he saw her. She had the decency to look slightly sheepish at being caught so obviously eavesdropping. "Would you believe I was sitting here reading and didn't hear a thing?"
"No." Siskos grin widened as he came into the room and took a seat opposite her. "I'm actually glad you were listening, it means you know first hand what will probably happen."
Kira nodded, refusing to meet his gaze, twisting the PADD in her hands around and around. "I . . . I wish things could be different. But I can also see Starfleets' point of view." Her gaze flickered up to meet his and smiled at the sympathy she saw in his eyes. "But I won't give up Odo just to satisfy the Federation." Her expression hardened and Ben nodded. "I love him, and he loves me. And our relationship is no-ones affair but ours."
"I agree." Sisko leaned back into the chair and smiled again. "I think you should seriously consider taking an ambassadorial post if you aren't allowed command the station. I'm sure Shakaar would be happy to appoint you, and I know that you would be the ideal person for the position. Besides," he allowed himself a small chuckle at the thought and was glad to see a smile on Kiras face as well, "I think you could certainly have a bigger impact on the whole of the Federation as ambassador, rather than just the Bajoran sector as station commander."
The joint chuckles quickly became laughter.
Kira leaned back against Odo's chest as they travelled back to the station. Remembrance Day had been a great success in Dakhur, as the Emissary himself had attended not just the march but also the banquet afterwards. Odo dropped a soft kiss onto her hair as he cuddled her close. "An ambassador's consort sounds interesting. And we can travel all over the Federation and to other cultures, rather than just have them come here to see us."
"It has its appeal, certainly." She toyed with the PADD she'd been reading, but refused to meet her lovers eyes. "If, at the end of the war and we've all made it through, then that's what I'll do. I'll ask Shakaar to make me an ambassador." She turned her eyes to his, a faint laugh crinkling the edges. "Are you sure you want to be a mere consort though?"
"For now." He echoed her smile, then turned as Sisko and Cassidy entered the small cabin. "What would it take for Starfleet to accept Nerys as station commander?"
Sisko thought for a moment as he sat down. "I suppose she would have provide some great service to the Federation or Starfleet." He shrugged slightly. "They don't consider her years on the station as sufficient."
"As I said before, if I haven't proved myself by now, then I never will." Kira glanced out the window and watched as the station slowly swung into view. "We're about to dock."
As the group made to leave the room, Sisko placed his hand on her shoulder and held her back, turning her to face him. "I'm sorry, Nerys. It's not what I wanted for you."
"It's not what I wanted either, Captain." Kira slung her bag over her shoulder and gave a slight sigh. "But I am an obedient daughter of the Prophets, and they teach that we must accept their plans for our lives, whatever that plan is." She gave a fleeting smile as the pair left the room and joined Cassidy and Odo at the station airlock. As Odo brought his hand to rest on her shoulder, she reached up and clasped his fingers, her smile deepening. "I haven't always understood, or liked their path. But I will follow their will for my life, wherever it leads."
"Then walk with the Prophets, Kira Nerys." Sisko smiled. "I'll see you in Ops tomorrow morning." Kira didn't reply, just gave a sharp nod and exited to the station with Odo, while Ben turned back to Cassidy. "And to think, it's only been three days."
Cassidy nodded and smiled, leaning up to kiss Ben softly. "Imagine what could happen in a week."